Garrett Wilson

Bryce Young apparently has a fan in Garrett Wilson.

The 2023 top overall pick had a resurgent 2024 campaign after being benched earlier in the season—and after a brutal rookie season—and Wilson seemed to appreciate that second act, offering succinct but effusive praise of the Carolina Panthers' quarterback on social media under a collection of his highlights:

Young, 23, appeared as though he may be headed for bust status after going 2-14 as the starter in 2023, throwing for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while taking a whopping 62 sacks.

He did little to alleviate those fears in the first two games of the 2024 season, throwing for 145 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions, taking six sacks, in a pair of convincing losses. He was promptly benched for Andy Dalton, and it appeared as though the Panthers had made one of the worst trades in NFL history when they gave up a pair of first-round picks, a pair of second-round picks and wideout D.J. Moore for the top overall pick in 2023.

But after Dalton sprained his thumb in a car crash, Young regained his starting status in Week 8 and looked like a different player. In the final 10 games of the season he threw for 2,204 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, taking 23 sacks while rushing for five scores, and the Panthers went 4-6, which included a Week 18 upset of an Atlanta Falcons team that was trying to play its way into the playoffs.

Young threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two more scores in the win, and Panthers' head coach Dave Canales was quick to throw his long-term support behind the young quarterback.

"Bryce is our quarterback," he told reporters. "I'm so proud of the way he just took the challenge and just grew every week."

Team owner David Tepper was also impressed.

"A real good win. I think we've got our QB here," he told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.

It would appear that Young's peers, including Wilson and C.J. Stroud—taken one pick after Young in the 2023 NFL draft—have taken notice as well.

"He's been balling, I'm so happy for him," Stroud told reporters regarding Young. "The guys around him are rallying around him, but he's leading them. Doing what he needs to do to make plays."

The relationship between New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Garrett Wilson may not be on solid footing as the futures of both players are a source of speculation.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that "there have been questions regarding whether Rodgers and Wilson can find common ground since they had a blowup during training camp."

He added: "While Wilson will not publicly say it, those who know him well believe he's been frustrated at the lack of looks from Rodgers while wondering what else he can do to fix the relationship."

Wilson has 90 receptions for 987 yards and six touchdowns through 15 games in 2024. While his 65.8 yards per contest are on pace to be a career-high, he and the Jets are waiting for him to make a true breakthrough on the field.

That's notable because the 2022 first-round pick is eligible for a long-term extension this coming offseason. Earlier this month, he said "I love the Jets" but left a lot of room for interpretation when addressing his long-term outlook:

ESPN's Rich Cimini cited a source who said they wouldn't be surprised if Wilson requests a trade out of New York.

Nobody would blame the 24-year-old for having reservations about sticking with the Jets past 2024. The organization has been riven with dysfunction through his first three seasons, and it seemingly starts at the top with owner Woody Johnson.

If Wilson's exasperation is centered largely around Rodgers, however, then that's a problem that could resolve itself pretty easily.

Rodgers told reporters to "ask Woody" when he answered a question about whether Jets ownership wants him back. He also joked about having Johnson's son Brick be the one to cut him from the team.

Between his performance (3,511 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions), the Jets' 4-11 record, and the drama that has surrounded his tenure, it feels like a matter of time before Rodgers and New York go their separate ways.

Based on Rapoport's report, we seemingly know how Wilson feels about the situation.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers told reporters he's spoken with wide receiver Garrett Wilson about his frustration, per ESPN's Rich Cimini.

Those comments came a few days after Wilson was asked about involvement (or lack thereof, at times) in the Jets' 19-9 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Wilson had six catches for 54 yards on seven targets in that matchup.

However, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post noted, Wilson wasn't involved much until late, even on a day where the Jets threw the ball more than twice as much as they ran.

"Wilson had just three targets until the final eight minutes of Sunday's 19-9 loss to the Rams, when the Jets called more than twice as many passes (44) as designed runs (19)," Dunleavy wrote.

Wilson's 141 targets are the fourth-most in the NFL, so he sees the ball a lot. It's amounted to 90 catches for 987 yards and six touchdowns, so perhaps the production could be up a tick, but he certainly gets his fair share of looks.

As far as the future with the Jets goes, Wilson is in the third season of a four-year rookie contract, but New York could (and should) pick up the fifth-year option on his deal, keeping him in town through 2026 at minimum. Wilson isn't worried about that right now, though.

"I don't know, man," he said, per ESPN's Rich Cimini, about whether he wants to stay with the team long-term.

"I just go about my day ... wherever my feet are at. If they [extend my contract], that would be a blessing. It would be awesome. I love the Jets. At the end of the day, they were the ones that believed in me. But, yeah, I can't be worrying about that. I have to go out and finish these three games the right way."

There's also been some speculation that Wilson could ask for a trade too.

"Internally (and externally), many have wondered when—not if—Wilson will request a trade," Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported Monday, Dec. 9.

Rosenblatt added that Wilson "expressed privately that if things didn't get better, he wouldn't want to stick around long-term" when the Jets were struggling in 2023.

Things have gotten even worse in 2024, with the Jets at 4-11, bound to be worse than last year's 7-10 campaign. It's been a bitterly disappointing year for a team with huge expectations with Rodgers healthy, but success didn't come to fruition.

Wilson's future with the Jets (or elsewhere) is certainly worth monitoring, but for now, he and the Jets will look to finish 2024 strong beginning Sunday at the reigning five-time AFC East champion Buffalo Bills.

New York Jets star receiver Garrett Wilson didn't get his number called very often in Sunday's 19-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

When asked after the game why he wasn't more involved in the offense, Wilson said he's also trying to figure that out.

"I don't know, I just gotta go out and put my best foot forward and hope that things fall my way," Wilson told reporters. "I would love to be involved, love to make an impact on the game but if people see it differently, then that's out of my control. Just try and do what I can do."

Wilson was targeted seven times by Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and reeled in six catches for 54 yards. However, most of his production came in the fourth quarter after New York fell behind. His seven targets tied for second on the team alongside tight end Tyler Conklin, as fellow star receiver Davante Adams led the team with 13 targets, seven catches, 68 yards and a touchdown. Rodgers finished the game 28-of-42 for 256 yards, a touchdown and a lost fumble.

While Wilson is widely regarded as one of the top young receivers in the NFL, he hasn't taken the leap many expected of him with Rodgers under center. He's surpassed the 100-yard mark just four times this season and he's scored just six touchdowns. Adams, who joined the team in Week 7 after a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, is already tied for second on the Jets with five scores.

Adams recently acknowledged that his success is largely due to Wilson's presence on the opposite side of him, telling ESPN's Rich Cimini, "I've never played with a receiver that gets as much respect from defenses as he does. It gives me certain opportunities to be one-on-one more than what I've had in the past."

The Jets, who fell to 4-11 with Sunday's loss, run the risk of losing both their top receivers this offseason. Adams is set to count for a $35.6 million cap hit in 2025, so he may have to be traded or released if he doesn't restructure his deal.

Even more concerning, Wilson could demand a trade if his frustrations continue to mount. The 2022 No. 10 pick will be eligible for a contract extension for the first time in his career, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he's hesitant to remain with a team that has missed the playoffs for 14 straight years.

New York is set to welcome a new regime following the firings of general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh, so the team's priority this offseason should be to keep Wilson happy.

When the Jets return to action against the Buffalo Bills next Sunday, Wilson will need just 13 yards to become the first Jets player since George Sauer in 1966-68 to record three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

You could basically distill the entire 2024 New York Jets' season down to the same issues that plagued them on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

The offense faltering on a day when the defense was solid through three quarters, as those two units failed yet again to put together a strong performance in the same game. Untimely turnovers. A failure to convert consistently in key moments. Undisciplined play and too many penalties. The list goes on.

The result was yet another loss, this time by a 19-9 margin against the Rams (9-6).

And pundits and fans who were subjected to yet another disappointing Jets' performance weren't about to hold back:

Aaron Rodgers has been disappointing at times for the Jets this season, but it's hard to pin this one solely on him. He finished 28-of-42 for 256 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, taking one sack while losing a fumble.

But the Jets struggled to get much going on the ground (75 yards), while Garrett Wilson was surprisingly a non-factor (six catches for 54 yards) in the passing game for huge stretches despite his final stats. And the team played poorly in the fourth quarter, as the offense lost a fumble and had a turnover-on-downs, the defense gave up 13 points, Anders Carlson missed a field goal and Xavier Gipson muffed a punt.

The Jets (4-11) have made losing an art form in 2024. They have blown games in just about every conceivable way. Positive momentum is seemingly always answered with back-breaking mistakes. Close games rarely go their way.

For Jets fans, the only comfort is that only two games remain this season. The calamity is coming to a close.

Sorting out his long-term future isn't a primary concern for New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson at the moment.

"I don't know, man," he said, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. "I just go about my day ... wherever my feet are at. If they [extend my contract], that would be a blessing. It would be awesome. I love the Jets. At the end of the day, they were the ones that believed in me. But, yeah, I can't be worrying about that. I have to go out and finish these three games the right way."

Wilson is under team control through the 2026 season, and he can sign an extension as soon as the upcoming offseason. However, his comments point to how he may not jump at the opportunity to commit to a new contract.

Cimini cited a source who said they wouldn't be shocked if the 2022 first-round pick requested a trade in the months ahead.

Wilson showed a ton of promise as a rookie. He caught 83 passes for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns en route to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. The breakout that looked inevitable after that early success has yet to materialize, even with Aaron Rodgers back healthy this year.

New York's on-field struggles over the last few seasons might be starting to wear on him as well. At one point in a 32-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, he appeared to have a tense exchange with receivers coach Shawn Jefferson.

More broadly, a damning report by The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver published Thursday raised the question of why any notable player would want to hitch his wagons to the Jets right now.

The story laid much of the blame for their dysfunction at the feet of team owner Woody Johnson. Among the biggest revelations was how Johnson's two sons are gaining a bigger voice within the organization. Within that dynamic, The Athletic reported that Johnson cited Jerry Jeudy's overall rating in the Madden video game series as one reason he was against acquiring the veteran wideout.

Players in the NFL are incentivized to get as much long-term financial security as quickly as possible. One major injury is all it takes to significantly diminish your earning potential.

But if you're Wilson, everything that has happened in New York since he joined the team might give you some pause.

It has been a forgettable season for the New York Jets, and even one of their rare wins reportedly included a "brutal experience" in what should have been a celebratory aftermath.

Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic published a lengthy piece detailing the dysfunction of the Jets under team owner Woody Johnson on Thursday and relayed an interaction featuring quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Johnson's son, Brick, following a victory over the Houston Texans on Halloween.

It was the first win for Jeff Ulbrich after the Jets fired Robert Saleh, and Rodgers had a game ball in hand ready to give it to the interim coach.

"But before Rodgers could speak, Brick Johnson took another game ball and awarded it to wide receiver Garrett Wilson in a profanity-laced exclamation, which the owner's son later posted to Instagram," The Athletic reported. "Woody Johnson then gave Ulbrich the ball Rodgers had been holding. Multiple players said the energy felt drained out of the room."

One player called it "the most awkward, cringe-worthy, brutal experience."

While Wilson did have an incredible one-handed touchdown catch during that win, it is a testament to a season to forget that even such a celebratory moment was tainted by the overall experience.

New York is just 4-10 during a campaign that started with promise and playoff expectations thanks to the return of a healthy Rodgers. Instead, the team has fired its head coach in Saleh and general manager in Joe Douglas and sits well outside the postseason picture.

A trade for star receiver Davante Adams didn't lead to consistent wins, and now there are questions about the 41-year-old Rodgers' future with an important offseason looming.

It will be partially up to Woody Johnson to build a contender and hire the correct general manager and head coach who can help turn things around for the AFC East team. But the piece from The Athletic surely didn't inspire a lot of confidence from the fanbase that he can do just that.

The New York Jets have featured no shortage of drama and headlines this season, and wide receiver Garrett Wilson could be involved in the next development.

"Internally (and externally), many have wondered when—not if—Wilson will request a trade," Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported Monday.

Rosenblatt noted the Ohio State product "expressed privately that if things didn't get better, he wouldn't want to stick around long-term" when the Jets struggled during the 2023 campaign.

To say this season hasn't gone according to plan for the Jets would be an understatement.

Expectations were sky-high with Aaron Rodgers returning under center to an offense that featured Wilson and Breece Hall. The defense was also expected to be solid, and a playoff spot seemed like a realistic goal.

Instead, New York is 3-10 and already fired head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas during the season.

It traded for star receiver Davante Adams, but the team is 1-6 when he is on the field. What's more, Rodgers looks like anything but the peak version of himself at 41 years old, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported earlier this month the quarterback "is considered right now to be a long shot to return to the Jets" in 2025:

There is also uncertainty about Adams' future with the team, and Rapoport reported Sunday the Jets "will never pay him" the $35.64 million for each year in 2025 and 2026 he is currently owed.

Enter Wilson, who is eligible to negotiate for a contract extension during the upcoming offseason and could look to become one of the league's highest-paid receivers.

While he has largely played well from an individual perspective since New York selected him with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft, he has never experienced a winning season. And this season has surely been particularly frustrating, as Rosenblatt noted the Jets have already set a team record with five losses in games they led in the fourth quarter.

"When you're up in the fourth quarter all of a sudden it starts to feel like we have a losing problem, like a gene or some s—," Wilson said. "It's not like we're going out there and getting our butt beat from start to finish. No, we have a chance to win the game, we're supposed to win the game, odds are in our favor and we find a way to lose."

At a certain point all that losing adds up, and it may result in Wilson seeking an exit plan from the only NFL team he has ever known.